Suspended railway.



PATENTED'MAY 29, 1906.

L. G. HARRISON.

SUSPENDED RAILW AY.

APPLICATION TILED MAEJZ, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

111D MI" in. mm

' [NVENTOR PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

L. O. HARRISON. SUSPENDED RAILWAY. APPLICATION FILED MAR.12,1906.,

ZSHEETS-SHEBT 2.

W m m A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. LYCURGUS c. HARRISON, OF STOCKWELL, INDIANA.

' SUSPENDED RAILWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYCURGUS O. HARRI- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockwell, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspended Railways, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to suspended railways, one of the objects being to provide an apparatus of the character described particularly adapted for use on rural mail-routes for transporting mail for delivery from the road traversed by the carrier to residences along said route and also for the purpose of transporting outgoing mail from the residences to the highway for collection by the carrier.

It is well known that residences in rural districts are generally established at distances more or less remote from the main traveled highway, and the general established custom is for the person receiving mail delivered by rural carriers to have a box stationed at the roadside for the collection and deliveryof mail.

My invention is primarily intended to obviate the necessity of traversing the distance between the residences and the route traversed by the carrier in receiving and sending out mail.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described that shall be simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, effective and durable, and easy of operation.

Other objects and advantages of my invention, as well as the structural features by means of which these objects are attained, will be made clear by an examination of the specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my complete device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the carrier or car. Fig. 3 is an end view of the car and the supporting-bracket, and Fig. 4 is a cross-section through one of the wheels of the carrier.

1, designates a bracket or support formed of a strip of suitable material, preferably metal, and bent to form a curve near each end, as shown at 2, so that the ends 3 face each other, the strip being of any-desired length, so that these ends will be the requisite distance apart. This bracket is mounted on a standard or support 4, there being as many standards and brackets as may be desired for the purposes hereinafter more fully appearing. The ends 3 of the brackets support the upper and lower cables or wires 5 and 6. Traveling on the lower cable 6 is a car 7, divided into upper and lower compart ments 8 and 9, separated by a horizontal partition 10, which serves as the floor of the upper compartment 8. In the lower compartment is arranged the motive power for imparting motion to the car and which consists of a spring 11, having one end secured to a power-shaft 12 and its other end 13 secured to the side of the car in any suitable manner. Operatively connected with the power-shaft 12 by a suitable chain of gearing is a shaft 14, having a sprocket-wheel 15 secured thereto and adapted to mesh with an endless sprocket-chain 16, carried by sprocket-wheels 17, fixed on axles 18, having grooved wheels 19 rotatable thereon and traveling on the cable 6, which forms the track for the car which is mounted on said axles. The grooved wheels are each provided with a rubber tire 19, resting 'in the groove, so as to engage the cable 6 and prevent the wheels from slipping or rotating when the carrier is stationary.

Meshing with the sprocket-wheel 15 is a second sprocket-wheel20, also adapted to mesh with the sprocket-chain. Slidably mounted adjacent the sprocket-chain is a vertical plate 21, having laterally-projecting horizontal shafts 22 mounted thereon, said stub-shafts carrying rollers 23, adapted to engage the sprocketchain. Pivotally mounted at one end on the upper end of said plate is a lever 24, having its other end piv' tally mounted on a vertical arm 25, carrying a knob or handle 26 for the more con venient manipulation thereof, said arm being slidably mounted in brackets 27, secured to the end of the car 7. As a means of regulating the speed of the car and preventing too great a momentum an air-cylinder 28 is provided. This cylinder depends from the partition 10 and has therein a piston-head (not shown) which is secured to a piston 29, hav ing pivotally mounted on its lower end one end of a lever 30, secured at its other end to a crank-arm 31 on the shaft 14. Mounted on the top of the car is a spring-actuated trolleypole 32, having a trolley-wheel 33 contacting the upper wire 5 for the purpose of holding the car in upright position on the cable 6.

For the purpose of checking the speed and stopping the car gradually a brake isprovided at each terminal point reached by the car. This brake consists of an arm 34, secured to one of the standards 4 and having thereon a leat-spring 35, mounted at one end on the arm and having its free end slightly diverging upward to engage the sprocketchain 16, as shown in Fig. 2. The leaf-spring is inclined at an angle so that its tension is exerted against the chain 16 as it passes around the sprocket-wheel 17 and is provided with depending triangular cam-shaped lugs 35 on its lower side, which contact the chain 16 and frictionally engage the same to stop the car. These lugs also operate to hold the car stationary until released, as they enter the openings in the chain and serve to lock the car against the tension of the springmotor. A bumper 36 is also provided, said bumper being formed of rubber or some other suitable yielding material, which. is

adapted to be engaged by the car in the event the leaf-spring does not stop the car before the bumper is reached.

In operation the car is started in either di rection by slightly pushing same until it dis engages the brake and the crank-arm 31 is oil dead-center. It is shown on dead-center in Fig. 2. The car will be propelled in either direction at the will of the operator by raising or lowering the vertical arm 25, which raises or lowers the plate 21. For illustration assume the car is to go forward. By raising the arm 25 the plate 21 is lowered and two of the rollers 22 press down on the sprocket-chain, bringing it out of engagement with the sprocket-wheel 20 and into engagement with the sprocket-wheel 15. As these sprocket-wheels rotate in opposite directions, it will be manifest that the car will move in the other direction merely by lowering the arm 25, thus releasing the chain from. wheel 15 and bringing it into engagement with wheel 20.

For the purpose of holding the arm 25 in raised or lowered position a leaf-spring 37 is provided, said spring being secured to the end of the car, as shown. This spring is comprised of an oblong strip of flexible metal having its ends .bent at an oblique angle therewith to form laterally-extending projections 38.. The arm 25 is provided with a lug 40, which engages these projections 38 when the arm is raised or lowered until the lug passes beyond the spring, whereupon these lugs spring back into normal position and hold. the arm 25 in raised or lowered position. Each of the projections 38 is provided with knobs 39 to be engaged by the thumb or finger of the operator in pressing against the tension of the same to permit the lug 40 to be raised or lowered after it has passed beyond either end of said spring 37.

The car is prevented from acquiring too I the trac much speed by the resistance of the air in the cylinder 28, inasmuch as the speed of the car increases the operation of the piston will be more rapid, and hence the resistance of the air greater against the pistonhead, and this resistance will be imparted to the crank-arm 30 and thence to the spring 11 through the medium of the chain of gearing.

. From the foregoing it is thought the construction and operation of my device will be obvious, and further explanation is not deemed necessary.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A device of the character described comprising a suspended track, a wheeled carrier thereon, a motor within the carrier for operating the same, means for reversing the operating mechanism to cause the carrier to travel in either direction, means for regulating and controlling the speed of the carrier, means for holding the carrier in elevated position on the track, and a brake comprising a horizontally-diverging spring adapted to be encountered by the carrier whereby it is stopped at its destination.

2. A device of the character described comprising a suspended track, a wheeled carrier thereon, a motor within the carrier for operating the same, means for reversing the operating mechanism to cause the carrier to travel in either direction, means for regulating and controlling the speed of the carrier, means for holding the carrier in elevated position on the track, a brake comprising a leaf-spring mounted at one end on a suitable support and having its free end adapted to encounter the carrier and against which its tension is exerted to gradually stop the same, and a resilient bumper arranged adjacent the spring.

3. A device of the character described comprising a suspended track, a wheeled carrier traveling{thereon, a cable suspended above a springactuated trolley-pole mounted on the carrier, a trolley-wheel on the pole adapted to travel on the cable, a spring-motor within the carrier, a sprocketwheel and chain connection between the wheels of the carrier, sprocket-wheels actuated by the spring motor, said wheels meshing with each other and adapted to engage the s rocket-chain, a chain of gearing connecting the spring-motor with the last-mentioned sprocket-wheels, means for throwing the chain into and out of engagement with said sprocket-wheels, and pneumatic means for controlling the speed of the carrier.

4. A device of the character described comprising a suspended track, a wheeled carrier thereon, said carrier being divided into compartments, a cable suspended above the track, means connecting the carrier with the cable to hold it in upright position on the track, sprocket-wheels fixedon the axles of IIO the carrier, an endless sprocket-chain connecting said sprocket-wheels, other sprocketwheels mounted on the carrier meshing with each other and also adapted to mesh with the sprocket chain, a spring-motor within the carrier, a chain of earing connecting the last-mentioned sproc et-wheels and the motor, means for bringing the sprocket-chain into and out of engagement with the lastmentioned sprocket-wheels, and pneumatic means for regulating the speed of the carrier.

5. Adevice of the character described comprising a suspended track, a wheeled carrier thereon, said carrier being divided into compartments, a cable suspended above the track, means connecting the carrier with the cable to hold it in upright position on the track, sprocket-wheels fixed on the axles of the carrier, an endless sprocket-chain connecting said sprocket-wheels, other sprocketwheels mounted on the carrier meshing with each other and also adapted to mesh with the sprocket-chain, a spring-motor within the carrier, a chain of gearing connecting the lastmentioned sprocket-wheels and the motor, means for bringing the sprocket-chain into and out of engagement with the last-mentioned sprocket wheels, pneumatic means for regulating the speed of the carrier, and a brake comprising a leaf-spring fixed at one end on a suitablesup ort arranged in the path of the carrier and aving its free end adapted to engage and bear against the sprocket-chain to check the speed of the carrier and gradually stop the same.

6. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of standards, brackets mounted thereon, a cable-track held suspended between the lower ends of the brackets, a cable held suspended by the upper ends of the brackets and extending parallel and in alinement with the track, a wheeled carrier mounted on the track, said carrier being divided into compartments, a spring-actuated trolley-pole mounted on the carrier, a trolleywheel carried by the upper end of the ole and adapted to travel on the cable, sproc etwheels fixed on the axles of the carrier, an endless sprocket-chain connecting the wheels, a spring-motor within the carrier, other sprocket-wheels meshing with each other and also adapted to mesh with the sprocketchain, a chain of gearing connecting the spring-motor with the last-mentioned sprocket-wheels whereby the same are actuated, a pneumatic regulator connected with one of the last-mentioned sprocket-wheels and ada ted to control the speed of the car, a plate sli ably mounted adjacent the sprocketchain, rollers carried by the plate and adapted to enga e the chain, a lever having one end pivote on the plate, a vertical slidably-' mounted arm pivoted on the other end of the lever whereby it is operated to throw the rollers into and out of engagement with the chain for the purposeof bringing the chain into and out of engagement with the lastmentioned sprocket-wheels, and means for holding the arm in raised or lowered osition.

7. A device of the character descri ed comprising a plurality of standards, brackets mounted thereon, a cable-track held suspended between the lower ends of the brackets, a cable held suspended by the upper ends of the brackets and extending parallel and in alinement with the track, a wheeled carrier mounted on the track, said carrier being divided into compartments, a spring-actuated trolley-pole mounted on the carrier, a trolleywheel carried by the upper end of the pole and adapted to travel on the cable, sprocketone of the last-mentioned sprocket-wheels and adapted to control the speed of the car, a plate slidably mounted adj aoent the sprocketchain, rollers carried by the plate and adapted to enga e the chain, a lever having one end pivoted on the plate, a vertical slidablymounted arm pivoted on the other end of the lever whereby it is operated to throw the rollers into and out of engagement with the chain for the purpose of bringing the chain into and out of engagement with the lastmentioned sprocket-wheels, means for holding the arm in raised or lowered position, and brakes arranged at the terminals of the track to yieldingly engage the sprocket-chain and gradually stop the car.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LYCURGUS O. HARRISON. Witnesses:

W. D. HEsToN, ARTHUR D. CUNNINGHAM. 

